and finally, the Black Lion

Friday 29th June 2018

Wildlife of the day – Pike, Kingfisher and Heron

A beautiful day travelling through beautiful countryside. Once we had left the canal, we perused a Kingfisher flying ahead of us all the way down the River Churnett section before we stopped at our favourite mooring.

This is a Jannock first! We have never ever arrived at the Consall Forge (Black Lion) moorings before to find them empty. We had a choice of where to moor on the bank and all the birdsong and we didn’t even have to disturb the fisherman sat alongside the water point.

The water here is nice an clear so Graham took the opportunity to wash two months worth of grime from Jannock and make her look presentable again. Whilst we were here in the shade a heron, that we’d spooted fishing further up stream, came and sat on the bank by our bows. He made one attempt at a catch but missed the fish but immediately returned to the same spot and started to preen himself in a “I meant to do that!” fashion. He wasn’t in the least bit bothered by us so we had the priviledge of watching him for a good fifteen minutes.

Brenda’s second night off in two days so into the Black Lion for evening meal, where the steaks were very good (they will even cook them blue if you ask) and the paer and pecan crumble was superb. A total score of 11 out of 10. Graham loved the Thomas the Tank engine being vandalised picture in the Gents loos (shown below – thanks i-Phone)

The evening could only have been improved if a steam hauled train had passed us whilst we sat out the front of the pub and eat! No trains runnng until tomorrow and they are only diesel due to the fire risk from steam engines in this very dry spell we are experiencing.

Brenda